NJ Assembly Judiciary chair: Study municipal courts
Kala Kachmar , @NewsQuip11:24 a.m. EST November 29, 2016
The chairman of the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee said Monday he wants state lawmakers to study municipal court reform after an Asbury Park Press investigation called the fairness of the system into question and showed how municipalities increasingly rely on court fines for revenue.
“(The story) gives cause to take a step back and think this is an area that we should study and look at to determine if there should be legislative fixes,” said state Assemblyman John McKeon, D-Madison, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. “Justice should be just that at all levels.”
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, R-Little Silver, said the Press report raised issues that should be a concern of every elected official.
“We have to stop looking at motorists as ATM machines,” he said. “You want to remove any profit motivation from police enforcement of any kind. When tickets are written that don’t improve safety, it doesn’t help anybody. It’s not a reasonable way to raise revenue.”
